The Fledgling Wayne
by Ruby Redverne
Summary: She was left alone after her mothers death, stuck with an over protective father and no one to talk to. When a mysterious stranger comes along offering her solace and a chance of freedom will Jacqueline take it? Or will she suffer in silence?


The gun shot echoed throughout the abandoned theatre in Arkham City. From the raised seats above the stage the Joker lowered the hand gun having hit his mark. Down below on the stage Talia Al'Ghul fell to the floor Batman at her side in a heartbeat. She was going to die that was certain, but she had one last thing to do before she left this world for the paradise beyond.

Her voice came out strangled and strained but she whispered to the man she had once loved, and in all honesty still did, just loud enough for him to hear with her last breaths. "Look after her. She is yours after all." She pressed the vial of antidote into his hand so he could cure himself and defeat the clown, hopefully for good this time.

With her task done she let herself go, relinquishing herself to the painless black that death offered.

In the ensuing battle Clayface had died because of Joker who had escaped once again and Batman had survived, cut up and bruised but alive, unlike Talia. He walked out of the theatre carrying the body of the woman he had loved, saddened by this loss despite there long time apart.

He was an idiot. Clayface had been posing as a healthy Joker this whole time. The real Joker had already gotten some of the cure Mr Freeze had made courtesy of Harley Quinn who had stolen it before Talia stole it back to give to Batman. So Clayface had died after being mortally wounded by Joker's knife while using his body making Batman believe it was Joker dead from the blood poisoning. But in fact a few minutes later Clayface's corpse had reverted back to its original brown sludgy form, meaning the real Joker was alive and well and running free again.

For once though Batman didn't care that the Joker had escaped or that Clayface's life had been lost because of him. Joker would be caught eventually and it was one less maniac to deal with on a regular basis. Batman was more concerned about what Talia had said. What did she mean by 'She's yours after all'? Surely it couldn't mean what he thought.

Taking her body with him he went back to the Bat Mobile leaving behind Arkham City and the questioning police officers wondering what had happened. Waiting next to the car was Robin on his Bird Bike. He went to greet his mentor but stopped when he saw the body and instead just followed him back to the Bat Cave where they would talk later.

3 HOURS LATER

Bruce Wayne had buried the body on the grounds of Wayne Manor near his parent's headstones so that all the ones he cared about would be in one place. He knew Alfred and Tim would be waiting inside for him, Alfred to make sure he was alright as usual and Tim for a de-brief of the nights events and to update him on the situation at the hospitals that were affected by Jokers blood.

He still lingered a moment by the two headstones and the fresh dirt, the only tell that there was anything there. He had kept her sword after the fight and thrust it into the ground at the head end of the grave as a marker for her.

Walking slowly, his head low, he made his way into his family home. He was shocked to find a girls high soft giggle coming from the front living room to the right of the entrance hall. How could there be a girl here after what had happened tonight?

Angry he stormed into the room to see Alfred and Tim sat on one of the sofas next to each other both looking at something sat by Alfred. Bruce moved closer and saw a small child there. Walking around the sofa and standing in front of Alfred he saw it was in fact a young girl, a young girl with electric blue eyes and long white hair pulled back in a ponytail with a fringe falling over her right eye.

"She was found here this evening Master Wayne, when you and Master Drake were out." Alfred told him gesturing to the girl now standing across the room. "There was nothing but her and a note in her hand. She hasn't said a word." Bruce didn't look at the child but instead took the note from the table next to the chair. It read only two lines:

_Look after her._

_She is yours after all._

The exact words Talia had said to him. This is what she meant. The thing he had to look after was a child. And not just any child but his own, his and Talia's. He hadn't even known she was expecting, but then they hadn't spoken in a long time. He let out a long slow breath before leaving the room and leaving Alfred to deal with the girl. He couldn't deal with it tonight. He went to bed and was haunted by dreams of Talia, her life and death, there time together, and now there daughter.

The next morning when he woke up Alfred had already prepared breakfast for him and Tim who was already at the table. The girl was there as well quietly eating the food Alfred had given her.

"Where did she come from?" Tim asked.

"The League of Shadows." Bruce told him. "She was, is Talia Al'Ghul's child."

"But then who's the father?"

"I am." Bruce said bluntly. "Talia sent her to me to look after. She knew she was going to die last night fighting the Joker. Why else would she have done it?" I was a rhetorical question that no-one had an answer to.

"What are you going to do with her?" Alfred asked as the girl watched them still saying nothing.

"I have to look after her. It was Talia's last request."

"Then maybe you should talk to her Master Wayne." Alfred gestured for the girl to go over to Bruce who watched her cautiously, but relaxed as soon as she was in front of him. She was so small, barely at his chest height, and just stared up at him.

"What are you going to name her?" Tim asked.

Bruce thought for a moment.

"Jacqueline." They all looked at the girl who had spoken for the first time. "My name is Jacqueline." Her voice was small and quiet, full of childish innocence. "You're Bruce Wayne aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes" Bruce replied. "I'm going to be looking after you."

She smiled up at him, it was cute and Bruce felt himself falling in love with his daughter despite barely knowing her.

6 YEARS LATER

"Good morning Miss Wayne." Alfred said cheerfully as he pulled open the heavy navy blue curtains from the window.

I opened my eyes to be assaulted by sunlight that had me squinting as I sat up. "Morning Alfred." I got out of bed as he quietly left the room, leaving me to get dressed and sort out my rat's nest of bed hair. I quickly showered and pulled my white hair back into loose pigtails that fell over my shoulders. After putting on a pair of black skinny jeans and a cute tank top, that read '10% Nice 90% Naughty' with a cartoon angel and devil on it that Tim had bought me for my birthday a month ago, I ran down the stairs to get breakfast hoping for once my dad would be there rather than working already.

I was out of luck. Yet again he wasn't there. He was hardly ever there in the morning or evenings, and during the day he was out at parties or business meetings, as was the life of a millionaire. Sorry, billionaire.

It was annoying as hell. I never saw him. Never got to go anywhere or do anything outside the manor either because he wanted to protect me. From what he never said and that was more infuriating than anything. I mean I was 16 now; I could look after myself, especially after all the training my mother had given me from a young age with the League.

I wished she was still here, and I was still there with her and my friend Amelia. Amelia wasn't part of the League but she lived close to our hideout so whenever I got the chance to go outside we would meet up. It was nice to talk to someone my own age.

Then at least I could do something with my days rather than skiving off my home schooling and wishing I was somewhere else. Or someone else.

Tim greeted me as I sat down. "Morning Jay Bird"

That was his nickname for me. I said nothing as I sat down, suddenly in a foul mood at my dad. I decided to go run it off after breakfast. And that's what I did. Went running for an hour, read for a while, played some games on my laptop, that was heavily monitored by Bruce, basically just wasted away another day.

The evening began to set in and I hadn't seen my dad all day. It was already dark out by 5:00 but that's what it's like here in winter in Gotham. I stood quickly when I saw a car pull into the driveway and my dad get out. I ran downstairs to meet him but when I got down he was already disappearing into his study with Tim close behind. I sighed.

Then I realised that when he went into his study he often wouldn't come out till morning. What went on in there I have no idea but hey not my place to judge. So dad and Tim weren't around and Alfred was off somewhere else in the manor. The front door was unlocked. This was my chance. Make a break for it, get a taste of freedom. My dark denim jacket and military style boots were by the door so I quickly slipped them on silently and silently went out the door.

As soon as my feet hit the porch step I broke into a run and pegged it round the side of the manor and into the thick trees that surrounded the grounds. When I got into the cover of the trees I realised just how dark it had gotten especially under the trees. Picking my way carefully I made my way through the trees. I made some good progress although I had no idea how long I'd been walking for. The lights of the manor had disappeared from behind me so I was quite a way away from home.

_Home? More like a luxurious prison_. I thought as I carried on walking. Suddenly I fell back having run into someone. Hitting the ground hard I looked up trying to see who I had run into. A torch lit up the immediate area, including the man I had run into. Looking around I realised we were alone and on a dirt road that ran through the forest. I had gone farther than I thought.

The man just looked down at me as I picked myself up off the ground and brushed off my jeans. I'll admit I'm a short arse: only about 5'5" whereas my dad and Tim were over 6'. This man was probably about that as well, just over 6' by the look of him, in a cheap purple suit, with lank green hair and face covered in white clown makeup with black around his eyes and a painted red smile. Most teenage girls would run a mile in the opposite direction of faced with someone like that but I was pissed already and getting worse so common sense did not apply right now.

"Thanks for helping me up." I snapped at him. "Now who the hell are you?"

He raised an eyebrow as if I was supposed to know. "You don't know me?"

"Should I?"

"Hmmm. Apparently not." A wide grin spread on his face only enhanced by the red smile painted over it. "Call me Mr-J." he said. "And you are?" he asked politely.

"Jacqueline. Jacqueline Wayne." I told him looking around for which way to get back to the manor because I had no idea where I was or if I had walked in a straight line from the manor.

Faint headlights appeared down the road and Mr-J looked worriedly towards it. I turned to look and saw one of my dad's many cars coming towards us. Turning back to Mr-J he was already gone, but there was a card on the floor where he had been standing. It was a Joker from a pack of playing cards with a number on the back. I stuffed it in my pocket without thinking as the car pulled up next to me and my dad wound down the window.

"Get in now" he told me and reluctantly I did.

Back home I got a scolding but I tuned it out thinking back to Mr-J I had met on my walk. Who was he actually? Where had he come from? What was with the card? And his attire, who dressed like that? I would think about it tomorrow. For now all I wanted was to go to bed and sleep for an eternity.

The next day curiosity got the better of me and I picked up the phone in the main living room while no-one was around and dialled the number on the card. I was a bit scared but my curiosity was greater. After five rings I contemplated putting the phone down when a woman picked up with a heavy southern accent.

"Heya." She said. "Who's there?"

"Um…." I answered. "I think I got the wrong number. Sorry."

"Maybe, maybe not. Who you looking for?"

I sighed. "Mr-J?" I asked cautiously.

She squealed. "Hold on." There was scuffling of her putting the phone somewhere and the click of heels as she ran off. I heard a shout of, "Puddin' there's a call for ya." More scuffling and the phone were picked up again.

"Hello." A cheerful voice called down the line.

"Um…hi." I replied. Before I could say anything he spoke again.

"Ah, Jacqueline. I wondered if you would call. I thought you would. And I was right." He laughed.

"How was I not going to when I meet a mysterious man in the woods and he disappears leaving only a playing card and a number? I was curious" I shrugged even though I knew he couldn't see it. "So why did you leave me the number?"

"I was curious." He said. "You intrigued me Jacqueline."

"Right." The door opened in the hall. "Um, I have to go now."

"Call me back anytime. Or maybe I'll call you."

"Ok." For some reason I felt like I could not exactly trust this guy but he was someone to talk to break up the monotony of my life so I agreed. "Oh and by the way, call me Jay." I hung up quickly and picked up the book on the chair next to me and started to read. Alfred opened the door to the room and looked around.

"I thought I heard voices." He said.

I held up the book. "I was reading aloud to myself." I covered up my phone call with the mysterious Mr-J.

3 MONTHS LATER

We talked almost daily. Either me calling him or him calling me, and on those occasions I had to be careful to get to the phone to check the number before Alfred did. I even spoke to Harley, the woman, on occasion when I called and Mr-J wasn't available. It was nice to have someone to talk to and tell my problems to. He always seemed happy to listen to the moaning's of a teenager.

My dad had grown suspicious over the past months because of the frequency of the phone calls which he hardly ever got but he didn't do anything about it. Tim was worried as well noticing my ever increasing phone time and questioned me about it but I always dodged answering by walking away. I didn't need to explain myself to him. Well that's what Mr-J said anyway.

He told me I didn't need to take orders from anyone or explain my actions. It was my life after all. He said a lot of things like that and I was starting to believe him. I mean I could trust him enough to tell him what bothered me so why couldn't I trust the advice he gave.

I lead back on the sofa in the main living room in front of the fire with the phone to my ear listening to Mr-J. Today he had called me. It was quite late around 9pm but I didn't mind, I'd been awake anyway.

"How's my little Jay Bird doing today?" he asked in his usual cheerful voice.

"Alright I guess." I told him. It hadn't been an overly good day. I'd fought with my dad again. It was his fault though.

"Oh, tell Uncle J all about it." To most he probably would have sounded patronising but I knew better, it was just how he was.

"Dad and I fought again." I said quietly. Then I felt myself becoming angry. "It was his bloody fault though. He started it. Again."

I started ranting about him. I was really starting to loathe him. My dad was just such an ass most of the time. He was never around; he never spoke to me anymore unless he was shouting at me for using the phone too much or sneaking out again. He was out all the time at high class parties but I wasn't even allowed to leave the manor grounds. How unfair was that!

JOKER POV

I leant back in my chair behind the desk at the old Arkham Asylum, my newest base of operations. It was abandoned and left to rot after the Arkham City disaster so there was never anyone there, except for me and Harley.

Harley was momentarily out doing god's knows what and I was left alone, bored. An idea hit me like one of those blasted Batarangs; I should check in on my latest pet project. Picking up the desk phone that was still connected to the power lines that ran through the island: Harley had managed to find the fuse box and flip the power back on. I dialled my current favourite number; the main line to Wayne Manor.

After 3 rings a small voice asked "Hello?" It was Jacqueline.

"How's my little Jay Bird doing today?" I asked feeling genuinely happy that she had answered; it would cure my boredom until Harley got back.

"Alright I guess." She said quietly. Oh goody. She'd had a bad day, which would give us plenty to talk about.

"Oh, tell Uncle J all about it."

"Dad and I fought again." she said quietly. I heard a small amount of anger seeping into her voice. "It was his bloody fault though. He started it. Again."

Her anger was good. She was meant to be angry with the stuck up ponce of a man, Bruce Wayne. It was all part of the plan. To make her hate him and that boy she sometimes talked about, the one that was always teasing her.

The girl trusted me that much was clear in the way she talked to me. Foolish child. I listened silently as she ranted about hating her father thanks to all our phone calls over the last 3 months. Things were going smoothly so far. The stupid girl had no idea what was really going on having lead such a sheltered life. But she wasn't actually that stupid, she was actually rather bright, intelligent even.

Yes Jay was an intriguing character, one of few to have caught my attention.

"Um…are you still there?" I heard her ask.

"Of course I am Jay Bird, my dear. Just thinking." I answered quickly not wanting her to hang up.

"About what?"

"Never you mind Jay Bird. It's nothing for you to worry about." I chuckled thinking about how it was all to do with her she just didn't know it yet.

"Oh ok. Maybe…should I go then…and leave you to your thinking?" she was hesitant, concerned even that she had been disturbing him.

I chuckled at her. "No no, my dear. I'm happy to talk to you. You know that."

There was a shout from the other end of the line. Jay swore under her breath. "I got to go. Dad's back. Sorry. Bye." She mumbled quickly before hanging up the phone and leaving me alone once again.

JAY POV

I hung up quickly and snuck out of the room just as my dad came striding round the corner from his office calling for me. He watched me carefully and I kept eye contact until he walked away. He'd been keeping a closer eye on me lately not leaving as much in the evenings and I'm not surprised with the amount I'd been sneaking out into the woods for a bit of freedom these past months.

Later that night, or rather early hours of the morning, I called Joker back when Bruce and Tim were in the study and Alfred had gone to bed.

"Hello? Mr-J?" I asked quietly.

"Good morning my dear. Glad you called me back."

"Sorry about cutting you off so quickly. My dad was looking for me. He's been keeping a very close eye on me lately and it's starting to drive me crazy."

"Yes. Why he can't understand that a girl needs freedom I'll never know."

"Exactly." I sighed. "I've just about had it. I can't take it anymore. I'd run away if I had even the slightest clue of where to go. I wish I could, I just don't have anywhere…or anyone… to go to."

"Why my little jay bird I'm hurt, have you forgotten about me?"

"What? You mean…I could go to you. But I don't even know where you are."

"Maybe so, but I know where you are, now don't I?"

"Yes. But…" I hesitated. Why shouldn't I go and stay with Mr-J. I mean he had to be better than my dad, and I talked to him virtually every day anyway. "Ok. How shall I find you?"

"Ah ah ah jay-bird. As much as I would love to come and get you now, there are a few…. Favours I need first, after all I will need to accommodate for an extra person."

I felt no reluctance in my voice. Just pure confidence. "What do you need me to do?"

He chuckled at my confidence. "I need you to acquire a few things for me. Now listen closely…" I strained my ears to listen as he practically whispered the instructions. On the end of the list he added, "Oh and Jay Bird seeing as your leaving this reality behind you might want to come up with a new identity for yourself. Just a thought."

When he was done I answered. "Ok, I'll start right away." I put the phone down without waiting for a reply. Back in my room I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote down all the things he had told me, plus a few things on my own. He was right if I was leaving I would need a new identity, and I would make it a good one. Putting on suitable clothes I picked up a rucksack and dropped out of my window, running into the night to start my task.

1 MONTH LATER

I crept in through the back door knowing I was safe from being caught and dropped the bag I was carrying. The rucksack hit the floor with a thud as I stood by the kitchen sink. My hands shook with adrenaline and my breath caught in my throat. I was shaking violently. Feeling bile rise in my throat I ran for the nearest bathroom and proceeded to throw up the steak dinner I had enjoyed that evening.

Wiping my mouth with some tissue I stood up on shaky legs and made my way to the phone. Dialling the number from memory I sat heavily on the front room sofa dropping the bag next to me. It was the final piece and I had to tell Mr-J I had done it even with my guts still threatening to betray me.

"Heeeellllooooo." Harley's voice called down the line.

"Hi." I said choking on my nausea.

"JAY!" she screamed. It had been almost a month since I'd talked to her. "Jay, how are you? It's been a while."

"I need to speak to Mr-J." I said flatly.

"Oh come on Jay. I need some girl talk."

"Harley." I said sternly. "Get Mr-J now."

I heard her gulp and run off to get him.

"Hello?" he asked.

"I got it. The last piece it's here."

" Ah excellent work my little jay-bird! I expected nothing less from you my dear!"

"Um…thanks but…there were a few complications."

"Complications? What are you talking about? What happened?"

"I…um…I mean…uh…"

"Come on jay tell me what happened!"

"It was an accident I swear."

"Dammit jay! Spit it out!"

I took a deep breath. "I killed him. The man at the warehouse. I killed him."

".. What?..."

I started rambling. "I didn't mean to I swear. It was an accident. It was self defence. He had a gun. I just grabbed the blade and...i killed him." Mr-J started laughing.

"Ha. Oh jay-bird don't scare me like that I actually thought something bad had happened!"

"What do you mean 'something bad'? This is bad. I KILLED HIM!" I was shouting now close to hysterical.

"Bad? Jay this is wonderful! My little jay-bird looking after herself"

"You mean…How can you say that? I murdered someone...I...I thought you'd be mad." I managed to calm down a bit.

"Mad? Of course I mad, what do you take me for someone sane?"

I couldn't help but laugh as he did. "No. I meant I thought you'd be mad at me."

"Oh jay-bird, how could I ever be mad at you my sweet?"

I smiled. "So what happens now?" I asked curious as to how I was going to get to him.

"How 'bout taking a glance out the window?"

I turned to the window behind me confused. I dropped the phone and my mouth hung open in shock when I saw Mr-J stood there waving at me with one hand, a mobile phone held to his ear in the other. I saw him mouth 'hello jay-bird'.

I ran to the door and opened it letting him walk in after switching off the call. "How…How did you get here?"

"Why as soon as you said you had the last piece I had Harley drive me straight here. I was close by picking up some supplies of my own anyway"

"Oh." was my only response.

"Come on Jay-Bird. Let's blow this joint."

I gave him the rucksack. "I'll get the rest." I dug in a small unused cabinet by the door as my dad had taken to searching my room on a regular basis. The whole lot was in a brown sack which I handed over. Mr-J looked through it while I ran upstairs to get the last part. My part.

I pulled the box out of my wardrobe and laid all the items inside on my bed. It was an outfit I had fashioned for myself over the past month, collecting the materials needed as I collected the things for Mr-J.

I put it all on quickly. It was a navy blue ballet leotard with a layered blue skirt that imitated a tutu in three layers, navy on top with a pale blue edge decorated with the symbols from a card deck in navy, the next was a sheer white, and the third a sheer pale blue. Around the waist was a thin white belt with a sky blue gem in the centre and a ribbon attached to the back that was fastened in a bow the ends of which trailed down to my knees. Around the neck was a collar, like that of a sailor girl, in white with dark blue bands on the edge and fastened with a silver crescent moon pin. I wore white fingerless gloves with navy band at the cuff. White thigh high stockings covered my legs and navy ballet slippers with the ribbons criss-crossed up my legs. My white hair had been dip dyed blue this evening so as not to raise suspicion from my dad or Tim and was tied back in a ponytail with a dark blue ribbon. Finally around my neck was a thin blue ribbon with a gem to match my belt that glinted in the light.

I left my room and walked to the top of the stairs where Mr-J was at the bottom still checking through the bag. I cleared my throat.

He looked up and his eyes went wide for a moment "Oh Jay-Bird, your dressed to kill." He told me with an evil grin.

"Call me Mockin'Jay"


End file.
